Police find explosives at university

Relevant offers

Americas

Naked acrobat arrested in San Francisco Guilty of taking snakes on a plane Speedster was just 'drying off car' Peru rattled by moderate quake US, Taliban to hold talks to end Afghan war Man shot by son-in-law in church FBI resumes search for Hoffa remains US surveillance thwarted 50-plus attacks Trying to build a bomb that won't blow up Thousands flood Brazilian streets in protest

The University of Central Florida closed its main campus in Orlando while police investigated an apparent suicide and a number of improvised explosives found overnight in a residence hall, the school says.

Campus police received an emergency call "regarding a man with a gun" early Monday morning (local time), according to the school. When police arrived, they found the body of a male victim of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and closed the residence hall.

During the investigation, police discovered a handgun, an assault weapon and the explosive devices, the school said.

"Upon further examination of the student's room, (police) found weapons and a bag containing improvised explosive devices," said UCF spokesman Grant Heston.

At 2.09am, police sent students a text alert saying that the residential Tower 1 dorm - home to about 500 students - would be evacuated due to a "suspicious death".

Another text alert dispatched at 2.46am reassured residents that there was no threat.

"It was clear at that point that there was no imminent threat from a live shooter, which is the first thing you worry about," Heston said.

The Orange County Sheriff's bomb squad was on campus, and the FBI was assisting the UCF police department.

- Reuters